Anti-splash roof valley



Dec. 28, 1965 A. A. TENNlsoN, JR 3,225,725

ANTI-SPLASH ROOF VALLEY 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March l, 1962 FIG. 2

FIG. 5

w n I Whew FIG. 3

INVENTOR ALFRED A. TENNISON,JR

v itle@ ffl? ATTORNEY Dec. 28, 1965 A. A. TENNlsoN, JR 3,225,726

ANTI-SPLASH ROOF VALLEY Filed March l, 1962y 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG@ 7(UML Il h1 we mmnmmmmlmlm SUM. Hmmm/*il g E'H INVENTOR ALFRED A.TENNISON,JR.

Dec. 28, 1965 l A, A, TENN|5ON, JR 3,225,726.

4 ANTI-SPLASH ROOF VALLEY Filed March l, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 28,1965 A A TENNlsON, JR 3,225,726,

ANTI-SPLASH ROOF VALLEY Filed March 1, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORALFRED A. TENNISON, JR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,225,726 ANTI-SPLASH ROOF VALLEY AlfredA. Tennison, Jr., P.0. Box 7, Texarkana, Ark. Filed Mar. 1, 1962, Ser.No. 176,754 2 Claims. (Cl. 113-116) This invention relates to buildingstructures and to apparams employed in protecting such structures fromthe natural elements.

The invention relates particularly to the roof structure of buildingsand to apparatus such as valleys utilized along the intersection ofportions of the roof disposed at an angle to each other.

Heretofore, roof valleys have been provided of Various materials and ofvarious configurations which have been used along the intersec-tion ofportions of a roof. Some of the valleys have had strengtheningcorrugations or ridges but substantially all of such valleys have beenmanufactured in standard lengths which necessitated the joining of twoor more sections to produce a valley of the required length, and theutilization of a large amount of space for storing and transporting suchlengths.

It is an object of the invention to provide a roof valley having araised central portion to prevent the splashing of water deposited onthe roof by precipitation and to aid in the discharge of such waterthrough the drainage system of the building.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roof valley having araised central portion and which can be rolled into a coil from which adesired length may be severed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roof valley having araised central portion and marginal portions for imparting strength tosuch valley as well as cooperating with the adjacent roof structure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective illustra-ting one method of forming the roofvalley of the present invention;

FIG. 2, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 3 3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4, a perspective of the roof valley per se;

FIG. 5, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 5 5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6, an enlarged fragmentary top plan of a portion of the structureof FIG. 1;

FIG. 7, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 7 7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 8 8 of FIG. 6; l

FIG. 9, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 9 9 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10, a perspective of a coil of roof valley according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 11, a perspective of the roof valley after it has been separatedfrom the coil;

FIG. 12, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 12 12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13, a section similar to FIG. 12 of the valley of the presentinvention illustrating the next step in the preparation of such valley;

FIG. 14, a perspective of the completed valley per se;

FIG. 15 an end view of the completed valley;

FIG. 16, a perspective of a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 17, an end view of the modification of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 18 18 of FIG. 17;

3,225,726 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 ICC FIG. 19, a perspective of anothermodification of the invention;

FIG. 20, an end view of the modification of FIG. 19;

FIG, 21, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 21-21 of FIG. 19;

FIG. 22, a perspective of a further modified form of the invention;

FIG. 23, an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 23 23 of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24, a perspective of a s-till further modified form of theinvention;

FIG. 25, an end View of the modification of FIG. 24.

Briefly stated the present invention comprises a sheet metal structuralmember such as a valley utilized at the point `of intersection betweenangularly disposed roof portions and such valley includes an invertedcentral V- shaped portion to eliminate splash and a series of outwardlyspaced reinforcing channels or cOrrugatiOnS. The central V-shapedportion is adapted to be folded over substantially so that the valleymay be rolled into a coil of undertermined length and a required lengthmay be separated from the coil and have the V-shaped portionstraightened whereupon the section may be applied to the roof.

With continued reference to the drawings, the present inventioncomprises a roof valley formed from a continuous strip of sheet metal orother material 10 which may be passed through a crimping machine 11having forming rollers 12 and 13. Such rollers form ridges in the sheetmetal 10 which when the valley is in position on the roof of a buildingwill strength the valley and prevent splashing.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 15, the forming rollers 12 and 13 forma relatively large inverted V- shaped portion 14 centrally of the sheet10 and a pair of smaller V-shaped channels 15 on opposite sides of suchstrip in spaced relation to the V-shaped portion 14. A small invertedV-shaped ridge 16 is formed closely adjacent to the central invertedV-shaped portion 14 for a purpose which will be described later.

In order to transport the strip of sheet material without the necessityof cutting the same into standard lengths, the material may be rolledinto a coil of undetermined length from which sections can be cut off asrequired. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary to fold the largecen-tral V-shaped portion to one side to permit the sheet to be formedinto a roll. This is done by pressing the V-shaped portion so thatcontiguous lsides are substantially vertical and close together and thenfolding the central portion to one side.

The contiguous sides of the central portion are crimped together bycrimping rollers 17 and 18 so that the sides of the central portion aresubstantially vertical and parallel and thereafter passing the sheetmetal 10 beneath a cam plate 19 which has a leading edge 20 disposed ina substantially vertical plane relative to such sheet metal. The camplate 19 is twisted so that the rear edge 21 is disposed substantially90" from the leading edge 20 and is generally parallel to the plane ofthe sheet 10. As the sheet passes beneath the cam member 19, theupstanding central portion 14 is bent over by the cam member to aposition generally parallel to the sheet 10 as illustrated in FIG. 9.During the twisting process the sheet 10 is prevented from movingsideways by guides 22 and 23 which form a channel of a width equal tothe width of the strip of metal after the rolling and crimping process.

After the central portion 14 has been bent over to a horizontalposition, the strip passes over feed rollers 25 and is formed into aroll or coil 26 for transporting to a storage depot and subsequently toa point of distribution.

When a strip of metal is to be used as an anti-splash valley on the roofof a building, a predetermined length of material is unrolled from thecoil and is severed therefrom. Such length of material then is flattenedand the central portion again raised .to an upright position in anydesired manner as by a tool 27 having a flattened relatively wide headportion 28 with a sharpened edge 29.

As illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the small inverted ridge 16 permitsthe tool to be lodged beneath the central portion 14 to initiate theraising thereof and then functions as a stop to permit the tool tostraighten the central portion to substantially its original uprightposition. After the central portion has been moved to a verticalposition, the sheet is stretched out to a position shown in phantom inFIG. 13 and in full lines in FIGS. 14 and 15. In this position the stripof material is adapted to be applied to the roof structure of a buildingwith the central portions preventing excessive splashing as well as thelongitudinal channels 15 strengthening the material in a longitudinaldirection.

As illustrated in FIGS. 16 through 18 a modiiied form of the roof valleyis provided and includes a strip of metal having a central invertedV-shaped portion 31 and a pair of V-shaped channels 32 spaced outwardlyfrom the central portion 31. The portion of the sheet 3) exteriorly ofthe V-shaped channels 32 is provided with corrugations 33 to strengthenthe strip in a transverse direction and to assist the application oftransversely corrugated roofing. The V-shaped channels 32 separate thecorrugated portions 33 from the at central section of the sheet so thatthe Hat sections between the channels 32 and the central portion 31 canassist in the ow of water.

With reference to FIGS. 19 through 21 another modiication is illustratedin which a strip of sheet material 35 is provided with a central raisedportion 36 and a pair of outwardly spaced generally parallel V-shapedchannels 37. The portion of the strip exteriorly of the channels 37 isprovided with corrugations 38 disposed paraling. The outer portions ofthe strip 40 are provided with longitudinal corrugations 42 similar tothe corrugations disclosed in FIGS. 19 through 21 but in which theoutwardly spaced channels have been eliminated. In this modification thecorrugations 42 strengthen the strip of material in the longitudinaldirection and are adapted to join with corrugated roof panels.

With reference to FIGS. 24 and 25 a still further modified form of theinvention is illustrated in which a strip of sheet material 45 isprovided with a central raised portion 46 and the outer edges of suchstrip are folded back on themselves to provide a double thickness 47along the edges to strengthen the edges and prevent warping thereof aswell as to prevent water from seeping beneath the roof covering throughcapillary action.

It will be noted that in all the modifications the central raisedportions may be folded over as disclosed in the first modificationduring the manufacturing process and subsequently rolled into a coil toassist in the storage and shipping of the material and thatpredeterminedv lengths may be severed from the coil and spread apart aspreviously described for use on the roof of a building.

Although the structure of the present invention has been utilized as aroof valley, it will be apparent that the method and apparatus would beapplicable toany structural member having a raised element in use whichis depressed to flat position and formed into a coil and later raisedfor use. Structures of this nature may include standing ridge roong,ridge coverings, corrugated roofing, and raised ridge siding or thelike.

It will be obvious to lthose skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but onlyas indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of preparing a splash valley for a building roofcomprising the steps of (A) feeding a strip of sheet material into aforming machine,

(B) forming a central inverted V-shaped portion in said sheet ofmaterial,

(C) compressing said V-shaped portion so that the contiguous legsthereof are substantially vertical,

(D) folding said V-shaped portion so that it is substantially parallelwith. the strip of sheet material,

(E) rolling said strip of material into a continuous coil,

(F) removing a desired length of material from said coil,

(G) severing said length from said coil,

(H) raising said V-shaped portion until the legs thereof aresubstantially vertical, and

(I) spreading the legs of said V-shaped portion at an angle to thematerial on the opposite sides of said V-shaped portion.

2. The method of preparing a splash valley for a building roofcomprising the steps of (A) feeding a continuous strip of sheet materialinto a forming machine,

(B) forming a relatively large inverted V-shaped portion substantiallyalong the longitudinal center of said sheet material,

(C) forming a relatively small raised portion closely adjacent to andparallel with said V-shaped portion,

(D) compressing said V-shaped portion so that the contiguous legsthereof are substantially vertical,

(E) folding said V-shaped portion over and in engagement with said smallraised portion so that it is substantially parallel with the strip ofsheet material and spaced therefrom, and

(F) rolling said strip of material into a continuous coil,

whereby a desired length of material may be severed from said coil and atool inserted between said folded V- shaped portion and said sheetmaterial for raising said V-shaped portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES W.LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

JACOB NACKENQFF, Examiner.

1. THE METHOD OF PREPARING A SPLASH VALLEY FOR A BUILDING ROOFCOMPRISING THE STEPS OF (A) FEEDING A STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL INTO AFORMING MACHINE, (B) FORMING A CENTRAL INVERTED V-SHAPED PORTION IN SAIDSHEET OF MATERIAL, (C) COMPRESSING SAID V-SHAPED PORTION SO THAT THECONTIGUOUS LEGS THEREOF ARE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL, (D) FOLDING SAIDV-SHAPED PORTION SO THAT IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE STRIP OFSHEET MATERIAL, (E) ROLLING SAID STRIP OF MATERIAL INTO A CONTINUOUSCOIL, (F) REMOVING A DESIRED LENGTH OF MATERIAL FROM SAID COIL, (G)SEVERING SAID LENGTH FROM SAID COIL, (H) RAISING SAID V-SHAPED PORTIONUNTIL THE LEGS THEREOF ARE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL, AND (I) SPREADING THELEGS OF SAID V-SHAPED PORTION AT AN ANGLE TO THE MATERIAL ON THEOPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID V-SHAPED PORTION.